A Benue State delegation led by the Majority Leader of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Damian Cheme, and Special Adviser on SDGs to the Benue State Government, Prof. Magdalyne Dura, has concluded a two-day institutional learning visit to Plateau Peace Building Agency, PPBA.
The institutional learning visit started on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 and ended on Wednesday, October 18, 2022 and was organized by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD), Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC) and Mercy Corps Nigeria under the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP) project.
The visit was to acquaint members of the delegation on the operations of the Plateau Peace Building Agency; to know its successes and challenges as Benue prepares to operationalize the Peace Law passed by the Benue State House of Assembly and assented to by Governor Samuel Ortom.
As part of the learning visit, the delegation interacted with the speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Sanda, and some members of the State House of Assembly.
Leader of the delegation, Hon. Damian, who spoke on the mission of the team, said Benue State has enacted the Benue State Peace Commission law to establish State Peace and Reconciliation Commission and they were in Plateau State to acquaint themselves with the operations of the Plateau Peace Building Agency, PPBA.
Responding, the speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Sanda, commended the Benue State government for enacting the Benue State Peace Commission law. He further stated that PPBA collaborates with other agencies and organizations like the Inter-Religious Faith Council to deliver on its mandate.
Meanwhile, at the interaction with the traditional ruler, the Ujah Anaguta, HRM, Pozoh Johnson Magaji, who commended Benue State for passing a peace law, said being truthful in peace-building discussions and understanding the thinking of whoever is threatening peace are the essential things that need to be done to achieve peace.
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At the Plateau Peace Building Agency headquarters interaction, the representative of the Director General, Mr. Gayi Timothy Gayi, congratulated Benue for enacting the Benue State Peace Commission law. He stated some of the core values driving the successful operation of the peace agency to include neutrality, inclusivity, accountability, and non-violence.
While reacting to questions from the Benue delegation, he also stated funding as one of the challenges of the agency, adding that it is one of the reasons the law is to be amended.
Other members of the delegation included: members representing Tarkaa, Ushongo, Ado, and Buruku State Constituencies, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Mngutyoh; Hon. Abbas Akoso, Hon. Agnes Uloko, and Hon. Torkuma Bunde. Others were the Anglican Bishop of the Makurdi Diocese, Rt. Revd. Dr. Nathan Inyom, Sevav Nongo, and members of civil society groups and other non-state actors.
